Material breaking shell



April 27, 1954 w. w. AYr-:Rs r-:r AL

MATERIAL BREAKING SHELL Filed Dec. '1, 1950 INVENTORS Woodrow-A7.

y mp ATTRN EYE Patented Apr. 27, 1954 .MATER'IAILBREAKING lSHELL...

Woodrow W. Ayers and Opie :KI Thompson;-4

Harvey; Vai

Application December 1, 1950,;,Serial No,.':l.98,636;r

This invention relates to material-breaking apparatus, and more particularly to a coal-breaking shell Vwhich uses highly compressed air as the material-breaking medium.

The object of the invention is to provide a material-breaking shell which is constructed so that the valve will be kept in an open position after primary actuation of the air release mechanism.

Another object of the invention is to provide a material-breaking shell which is constructed so that all of the compressed air will be discharged or released from the body at one time so as to prevent double shooting of the shell and increase the eiciency of the apparatus.

A further object of the invention is to provide a material-breaking shell which is extremely simple and inexpensive to manufacture.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent during the course of the following description.

In the accompanying drawings forming a part of this application, and in which like numerals are used to designate like parts throughout the same:

Figure l is a side elevational view of the material-breaking shell of the present invention, with parts broken away and shown in section;

Figure 2 is a view similar to Figure 1, but showing the valve in the open position.

Referring in detail to the drawings, the numeral I designates a hollow body which may be fabricated of any suitable material, and the body I has its ends threaded interiorly for a portion of their length, as at I I and I2. A discharge cap I4 has an exteriorly threaded shoulder I5 arranged in engagement with the threaded end I2, and the discharge cap I4 is provided With a plurality of spaced, inclined passageways or openings Il. A valve seat I 6 is seated in the body l Il. When the shell of the present invention is discharged, the air under high pressure passes out through the passageway Il in the cap I4 to thereby shatter or break up the coal in the vicinity of the shell, so that this coal can be conveniently handled.

Mounted for movement into and out of closing or bridging relation with respect to the valve seat IB is a valve I8. The valve IS is provided with a threaded socket I9, and the threaded end of a rod or stem ZI threadedly engages the socket I9, When the valve IS is in the closed position, as shown in Figure 1, the outer end of the stem 2| projects beyond the cap I4.

The valve I8 is further provided with a threaded socket 22, and arranged in threaded engagement with the socket 22 is the threaded end 23 of a 2. piston rod 24. The piston rod 24 has a lock nut 25 mounted thereon, and the piston rod 24 slidably projects through a central opening 2E in a baille plate 21. rIhe baie plate 2l is seated in the body I0.

Arranged in threaded engagement with the other end of the body I0 is a tube top 28, and slidably or reciprocably arranged in the tube top 28 in a piston 29. The other end of the piston rod 24 is threaded, as at 30, and the threaded end 30 threadedly engages the piston 29. Projecting from the tube top 28 is a, threaded sleeve 32, and a nose 3| is arranged in engagement with the threaded sleeve 32. A tube 33 extends through the nose 3| and communicates with the interior of the tube cap 23. A leather cup 34 is mounted on the rod 24.

In use, the body I0 is loaded with compressed air, say at 10,000 pounds per square inch, and the parts assume the positions shown in Figure 1. Then, the shell is placed in the cavity or hole H which may be in a coal mine in such a position that the outer end of the stem 2l engages the rear Wall W. Then, the air within the tube top 28 can be bled through the tube 33. This will result in a decrease in pressure in the tube top 28 so that the high pressure in the body I0 will force the piston 29 rearwardly or to the position shown in Figure 2. Then the valve I8 will move away from the seat IS, so that the high pressure air can pass from the body I5 through the valve seat I6, then into the cap I4, and out through the opening Il. This high pressure airpassingthrough the opening I1 will cause the coal in the vicinity to be shattered or broken up so that it canbe readily handled. Simultaneously, the shell will move forwardly in the hole I-I due to the jet action of the air passing out through the opening Il. The shell will move forwardly until the front end of the cap I4 contacts the Wall W, vand therefore the valve I8 will be held in its open position, thus permitting all of the air in the body Il! to discharge through the opening I l. The air for the shell of the present invention can be pumped from a central pumping station through a condlit connected to the tube 33, and a conventional valve can be arranged in this conduit in order to permit bleeding of the air.

From the foregoing, it is apparent that a material-breaking apparatus has been provided wherein double shooting will be eliminated. Also, the baffle plate 21 can be dispensed with if desired. The shell of the present invention can be loaded with compressed air at a central pumping station. Any suitable mechanism can be used 3 for bleeding air through the tube 33. Also, there will be a minimum amount of repair or replacement of parts required with the shell of the present invention. It is Well known in the art how to fill cartridges of this type and in this connection attention is directed to U. S. Patent No. 2,532,558.

I claim:

In a material-breaking shell, a hollow cylindrical body having interiorly threaded ends, a cap having an exteriorly threaded shoulder arranged in engagement with one of said ends, there being a plurality of spaced rearwardly inclined passage- Ways in said cap, there being an opening arranged in the front of said cap, said body being provided with a valve seat, a valve mounted for movement into and out of closing relation with respect to said valve seat, a stem having one end connected to said valve and slidably projecting through the opening in said cap, a tube top of the same diameter as said body having a shoulder threadedly engaging the other end of said body, a piston slidably arranged in said tube top, a piston rod having one end connected to said piston and the other end connected to said valve, a baffle plate seated in said body and provided with a central opening for the slidable projection therethrough of said piston rod, a nose threadedly engaging said tube top, and a tube extending through said nose and communicating with the interior of said tube top, the outer end of said stem projecting a substantial distance beyond said cap when the valve is in closed position.

References Cited in the le of this patent Spencer Dec. 5, 1950 

